New Zealand Wine Retailer Stands Up To Australian Goliath

Auckland, 6 March, 2012 - New
Zealand retailer The Fine Wine Delivery Company is making a
stand against publicly listed Australian giant Treasury Wine
Estates in protest against what it describes as
“outrageous price increases”.

The Australian
conglomerate is using a surge in demand from the new and
unproven Chinese market as an excuse to apply dramatic price
increases in New Zealand across their popular Penfolds Bin
range that were released 1 March. Kiwis can now expect to
pay 36-50% more for these beloved wines. This is a huge
betrayal for New Zealand wine lovers who have collected and
supported these wines for decades.

The Fine Wine Delivery
Company have promoted the Penfolds Bin range every March for
all of their 15 years, partially because of Managing
Director Jeff Poole’s 10 year history selling Penfolds in
Australia, and largely because the wines offered exemplary
quality at fair prices. However, while it would be
commercially advantageous to advocate the wines in spite of
their price hikes, Poole has decided to take a stance
against this profiteering move.

In The Fine Wine Delivery
Company March Newsletter, distributed to thousands of wine
lovers nationally, he instead wrote a column titled “For
the first time in 15 years you won’t find Penfolds in our
March brochure” ” (link to full article here).
In it he writes; “This year current owners, Treasury
Estates, have augmented price increases close to 50%. Whilst
it is the prerogative of any business to capitalise on
increasing international demand and supply, we view this
massive increase as a slap in the face for loyal NZ
customers. We are disappointed to say we can no longer call
Penfolds the “Kings of Value” in NZ.”

This stance
has gained tremendous support from customers. E-mails have
been flowing in with one customer saying; “Guys, nice
stance on Penfolds in you mailer. Good on you!”, another
said; “Congratulations on your justified stance against
Penfolds price hike!” and another said; ”Good on you,
their wines are good……. but not that good. I only hope
others have the courage to do the same. We won’t buy
any… the first time for many years.” Just three of many
examples.

According to the article “A number of UK
merchants, who did not want to be named, also revealed that
they would not be taking their allocation this year due to
the price rises.” Jeff Poole has no qualms being named, as
an independent retailer he is not afraid to speak out on
behalf of disheartened Penfolds
collectors.

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